Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development
Legumes can be considered as pioneer plants during ecosystem development, as they form a symbiosis with different nitrogen fixing rhizobia species, which enable the plants to grow on soils with low available nitrogen content. In this study we compared the abundance and diversity of nitrogen fixing m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2013-02-01
|
| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/1183/2013/bg-10-1183-2013.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811194592734740480 |
|---|---|
| author | M. Schloter G. Welzl M. Elmer F. Buegger D. Fischer M. Engel S. Schulz |
| author_facet | M. Schloter G. Welzl M. Elmer F. Buegger D. Fischer M. Engel S. Schulz |
| author_sort | M. Schloter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Legumes can be considered as pioneer plants during ecosystem development, as they form a symbiosis with different nitrogen fixing rhizobia species, which enable the plants to grow on soils with low available nitrogen content. In this study we compared the abundance and diversity of nitrogen fixing microbes based on the functional marker gene <i>nifH</i>, which codes for a subunit of the Fe-protein of the dinitrogenase reductase, in nodules of different size classes of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.). Additionally, carbon and nitrogen contents of the bulk soil and plant material were measured. Plants were harvested from different sites, reflecting 2 (2a) and 5 (5a) yr of ecosystem development, of an opencast lignite mining area in the south of Cottbus, Lower Lusatia (Germany) where the artificial catchment "Chicken Creek" was constructed to study the development of terrestrial ecosystems. Plants from the 5a site revealed higher amounts of carbon and nitrogen, although <i>nifH</i> gene abundances in the nodules and carbon and nitrogen contents between the two soils did not differ significantly. Analysis of the <i>nifH</i> clone libraries showed a significant effect of the nodule size on the community composition of nitrogen fixing microbes. Medium sized nodules (2–5 mm) contained a uniform community composed of <i>Rhizobium leguminosarum</i> bv. <i>trifolii</i>, whereas the small nodules (<2 mm) consisted of a diverse community including clones with non-<i>Rhizobium</i> <i>nifH</i> gene sequences. Regarding the impact of the soil age on the community composition a clear distinction between the small and the medium nodules can be made. While clone libraries from the medium nodules were pretty similar at both soil ages, soil age had a significant effect on the community compositions of the small nodules, where the proportion of <i>R. leguminosarum</i> bv. <i>trifolii</i> increased with soil age. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:29:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a75ad18e7574e508aed546b4831551d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:29:43Z |
| publishDate | 2013-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biogeosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a75ad18e7574e508aed546b4831551d2022-12-22T03:55:22ZengCopernicus PublicationsBiogeosciences1726-41701726-41892013-02-011021183119210.5194/bg-10-1183-2013Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem developmentM. SchloterG. WelzlM. ElmerF. BueggerD. FischerM. EngelS. SchulzLegumes can be considered as pioneer plants during ecosystem development, as they form a symbiosis with different nitrogen fixing rhizobia species, which enable the plants to grow on soils with low available nitrogen content. In this study we compared the abundance and diversity of nitrogen fixing microbes based on the functional marker gene <i>nifH</i>, which codes for a subunit of the Fe-protein of the dinitrogenase reductase, in nodules of different size classes of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.). Additionally, carbon and nitrogen contents of the bulk soil and plant material were measured. Plants were harvested from different sites, reflecting 2 (2a) and 5 (5a) yr of ecosystem development, of an opencast lignite mining area in the south of Cottbus, Lower Lusatia (Germany) where the artificial catchment "Chicken Creek" was constructed to study the development of terrestrial ecosystems. Plants from the 5a site revealed higher amounts of carbon and nitrogen, although <i>nifH</i> gene abundances in the nodules and carbon and nitrogen contents between the two soils did not differ significantly. Analysis of the <i>nifH</i> clone libraries showed a significant effect of the nodule size on the community composition of nitrogen fixing microbes. Medium sized nodules (2–5 mm) contained a uniform community composed of <i>Rhizobium leguminosarum</i> bv. <i>trifolii</i>, whereas the small nodules (<2 mm) consisted of a diverse community including clones with non-<i>Rhizobium</i> <i>nifH</i> gene sequences. Regarding the impact of the soil age on the community composition a clear distinction between the small and the medium nodules can be made. While clone libraries from the medium nodules were pretty similar at both soil ages, soil age had a significant effect on the community compositions of the small nodules, where the proportion of <i>R. leguminosarum</i> bv. <i>trifolii</i> increased with soil age.http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/1183/2013/bg-10-1183-2013.pdf |
| spellingShingle | M. Schloter G. Welzl M. Elmer F. Buegger D. Fischer M. Engel S. Schulz Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development Biogeosciences |
| title | Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| title_full | Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| title_fullStr | Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| title_short | Diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of <i>Trifolium arvense</i> (L.) at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| title_sort | diversity pattern of nitrogen fixing microbes in nodules of i trifolium arvense i l at different initial stages of ecosystem development |
| url | http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/1183/2013/bg-10-1183-2013.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mschloter diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT gwelzl diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT melmer diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT fbuegger diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT dfischer diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT mengel diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment AT sschulz diversitypatternofnitrogenfixingmicrobesinnodulesofitrifoliumarvenseilatdifferentinitialstagesofecosystemdevelopment |